Face mask



Sept. 9 P. B. MARASCO 2,954,027

FACE MASK Filed Aug. 26, 1958 .INVENTOR. PAUL. B. MARASCO United States Patent Paul B=. Marascd 1359 Chipeta Ave.,

Grand Junc tiom l0..

This invention relates tu a. face mask for the medical treatment Qi patients Wit-h nebulized. material.

Many patients are; hospitalized throughout the world: dai-ly for the tteatment of a oute asthma, chronic; pulrnonary diseases such as. ernphysema,v atelectasis, etc. and am. treated, as. a general rule with an aerosol, mist 017 agent such as, for example, Alevaire. As a general rule, the Alevaire mist treatment is aecomplished by the use of compressed air as the source for operating the nebulizexs; supplying the mist. In other instances the patients heads are placed in small tents, but in a far greater number of cases, most patients are instructed to hold the vapor discharge tube fro-m the nebulizer proximate their noses or by placing the tubes in their mouths so that they may inhale the mist or vapor at intervals throughout the day and night. In other instances, and in= m=der m facilitate the treatrnent inexpensively, patients will roll a newspaper into the shape of a funnel and counect the apex end thereof with the source cf nebulized material and direct the base and towa;rds their mouth and nose.

All of =the equipment and methods refen'ed to above are both inefi1cient and tiresome for the patient. Tents could be efficient but they have a number of uudesirable f eatures inherent in their use. For example, tents are bulky to store, and most adults do not like to lie in a ten-t covering only their heads for it is both confining and hot. It has been proposed to use a closed mask, but this type is expansive and the majority of the patients will not tolerate them.

Consequently, one of the primary objects cf this invention is to provide means for oral and nasal medical treatment which obviates the inherent undesirable features of the apparatus referred t0 above.

A further object of this invention is to provide a face mask for connection with a nebulizer which is, for the most part, spaced from the mouth and nose of a patient.

Another object of this invention is to provide a face mask of the type generally referred to supra which is disposable.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a face mask with adjustable means for connecting the mask with the head of a atient.

The instant invention contemplates as a still further object thereof the provision of a face mask which may -be manufactu-red from pliable plastics 01" disposable paraphined paper.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a face mask which is non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction With the annexed drawi-ng, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view cf a face mask coustructed in accordance with this invention, this figure illustrating the application of the mask to the face of a 2 patient and with themask being shown as. connected 'td a nebulizex: deviceg.

Figure 2 is a vertical medial crbss-sectional view ofthet face mask illustrated in ai Figure l; and;

Figure: 3. is a] back elevati9nak view o f the face mask, per se;

Referring new to the several: figures of=' the drawings, reference numeralz 103 designates, -in general, a face mask constructed in accordance with the teachings of this im vention; is illustra ted therein, the mask 10 comprises a substantiallyconcaveconvex front shield 12 truncated at its upper end 14 and having' side portions 16, 18 adapted for engagement against the cheeks of a patient 20. The lower end' 210f'the freut shieldterminates: in a reverted concave-convex chin receiVing cup 22. As' is seen: in the drawing, the convex side of the cup 22 coufronts the concavej side of the shield 12 but is not co-extensivetherewithl 1 Tothefront shield 12 adjcent the lower er1d 21 thereof and substantially 'equidi'stant between the side poions 16', 18 projects an integrall'y forrned hollow tubular con' nector element 24' adapted for c0n'nection withone endof a tubular conduit 26= the other end of the latter being connected With a vapor spqut 28 of a nebulizer deviee 30'.

Templ'e pieces 32 haveone of their respective adjacent ends connected to the o'pp'ositely disposed upper eorners of the shield' 12 by any conventional type of connector 34. As is seen in: Figures 1 and: 2 these ends are pro vided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 36. -to permit adjustme.nizuof the mask 10 toaccommo'date the faces 0f patients having difi?ering physical characteristics. The other ends ofthe temple pieces 32 terminate in ear engaging loops 38.

T0 ut ilize the mask 10, the conduit 26 which is formed of flexible material, is connected to the spout 28 and thereafter, the mask 10 is subtended from the ears of the patient, with the patients ch1'n engagiflg within the cup 22.

The cup 22 together with the temple pieces 32 cooperate to hold the mask 10 in closer 0r further spaced relation relative 10 the users face, and the cup 22 serves the further purpose of condensing the larger ones of the atomized particles whereby the patient 0nly brewthes or inhales the finer ones thereof. The condensed particles are retumed by gravity to the container of the nebulizer device 30.

The conduit 26 is detachably connected with the couneotor element 24 and the temple pieces 32 may be quickly released from the mask 01' shield 12 so that the mask 10 may be sterilized after use. That is, of course, assuming that the mask 10 is formed of a relatively rigid materiell such as plastic. However, if the mask is formed of paper 01 of other inexpensive material, the mask 10, after having been used by the patient is disconnected, as before, from the conduit 26 and the temple pieces are removed therefr0m and saved for future use with a new mask. The mask 10, if formed of paper, may be then disposed in any desirable manner.

The temple pieces 32 in this instance are saved for subsequent use.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it Will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A face mask for adrninistering inhalable vaporous medicaments in the treatment of pulmonary disorders, comprising: a shield of a size and curved shape to fit around -front and side portions of the face and under the chin of a patient, said shield having means thereon for holding it in osition over the face of a patient with a bottom portion of the shield extending under the chin of the patient, and with a space in the freut portion of the shield opposite the mouth and nose of the atient in upward communication with the atmosphere and in direct communication with the bottom portion cf the shield; inlet means in the bdttom portion of the shield providing for admittance into the mask cf medicment invaporohs forn'1, and for directing s'uch medicament toward the chin of a patient wearing the mask; and mean3 on the shield inside the bottom portion therebf at a location spaced from but opposite said inlet, providing a deflectbr adapted to be impinged by vaporous me'dicment entering the mask thro1'xgh said'inlet, said deflector coop erating with the freut portions of the shield't define an uninterrupted upwardly extending passage in the frox1t of the mask for conducting vaporous medicament directly and uninterruptedly from the inlet cf fl1e mask, past'the patients chin in bypass relation thereto, and into the space ahead of the patients mouth and nose where the medicament, along with air entering the mask at the top thereof, may be readily inhaled by a patient wearixig the mask, said deflector being shaped to provide a chin receiving cup having its forward edge portions spaced from the from of the shield and its side and rear edge portions connected to the bottorn portion of the shield by a coutinuous joint so as to sonst-min all of the vaporous medieament entering the mask to flow upwardly through the space between the front of the cup and the front portion of the shie1d.

2. A face mask for administering inhalable vaporous the mask; and means on the shield inside the bottom rear portion thereof at a location adjacent to said inlet, providing a barrier adapted to extend under and in front of the chin of a patient wearing the mask 10 prevent medieament entering the mask thrugh said in1et means from directly contadting'thcb patients chin, said barrir having a front portion spaced rearwardly from but cooperating with upright front portions of the shield to define an uninterrupted upvi1fdly xtendingpassage in the lower front portion of the mask foi conducting iraporous medicament directly and uninterruptedly from the in1et means of the mask, past the patients chin in bypass relation thereto,

and into the sp ace below t he patientg nose and a head of medicaments in the treatment of pulmonary disorders,

bis mouth where the medicament, along with air e1itering the mask at the top thereof, may be readily inhaled by a" patient wearing the mask, said barrier having its side and rear edge portions connected to the bottom rear portions of the shield by a continuous joint so as to constrain all of the vaporous medicaments entering the mask through said inlet means to flow upwardly through said assage and into said space.

References Cited in the fi1e of th1's patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1926,027 Biggs Sept. 12, 1933 2,281,181 Clarke Apr. 28, 1942 2416411 Sha.rbaugh et a] Feb. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 621010 Great Britain Apr. l, 1949 

